Just My Imagination
by GreenEyeObsession
Summary: tWiSt::::: rwhg ::::: Hermione dwells on things...


Disclaimer: I do not own Ron, Hermione, Harry, Ginny, or any other Harry  
Potter characters. I only own characters you do not recognize from the  
books. "Just My Imagination" was produced and performed by the  
Cranberries.  
  
"There was a game we used to play  
We would hit the town on Friday night  
  
And stay in bed until Sunday"  
  
"Ron. Ron, wake up. Paige is crying." With a roll and a grunt, the redheaded father slid out of bed and crossed the room to the door. Even in the hall the loud wails echoed. Entering the moonlit bedroom, he thought his ears would explode.  
  
Ron leaned over the crib and lifted the unhappy girl. Not completely awake himself, he stumbled across the floor to a rocking chair. There, he sat down and brought the still screaming child's head to his left shoulder, and began to slowly rock back and forth. "Shh, Paige, shh. It's all right. Daddy's here."  
  
The smooth vibration of his chest as he spoke these calming words caused the baby's screams to diminish, and now the child gave sort of desperate sobs. "There, there, sweetie, let Mummy sleep. Shh." The child slowed to a heavy breathing, with an occasional hiccup. Ron patted her back rhythmically and rubbed his hand up and down her tiny spine. "Shh.." When the little head lolled gently against his, he carefully stood up, rocking her side to side in his arms. At the crib he placed his strong hand on the back of her head to support it, leaned down, and set her carefully onto the soft mattress. She stirred slightly when he turned her onto her stomach, but released not a sound. Ron let out a small sigh of relief and tiptoed back to his own bedroom.  
  
Sliding back into bed next to his already back-to-sleep wife, he snuggled up against her and kissed her on the cheek, closing his eyes.  
  
Hermione smiled.  
  
"We used to be so free  
  
We were living for the love we had and  
  
Living not for reality"  
  
The taste of baby food lingered in her mouth. She sipped her coffee, and tried again. "Please, sweetheart, you need to eat your breakfast. Mummy likes it!" The girl in the highchair only responded to the desperate coaxing by making a general point at the coffee mug. Hermione sighed and drained the cup, then tilted it so the child could see inside it. "Oops! All gone!" Not satisfied, Paige babbled and pointed at the mug again. Hermione looked at it and realized why the girl wanted the cup; on the outside was a waving picture of Ron, making silly faces and hand gestures. Hermione laughed. "Oh, sweetie, Daddy's at work!" Seeming not to have a care for anything her mother was saying, Paige flexed her tiny, outstretched hands at the mug and babbled again. Without any other solution coming to mind, Hermione reluctantly placed the ceramic mug onto the surface of the highchair. The smiling girl grabbed the mug at once and brought it close to her tiny nose. "Dah-dee! Dah-dee!"  
  
Hermione gasped.  
  
"Paige! Paige, did you just say 'Daddy'?" The girl continued to shout her newfound word. "Dah-dee, Dah-dee, Dah-ah-ah-dee!" When her request for his presence was not met, she slammed the cup down onto the white plastic surface, took a deep breath, and began to wail. Tears streamed down her reddened cheeks and she wailed louder and louder. "Dah-deeee!!"  
  
Hermione jumped out of her seat and lifted her out of the highchair. "Shh! Oh honey, it's all right! We can go see Daddy!" She buried her daughter's mouth into her shoulder to muffle the screams, and walked hurriedly into the small living room to the fireplace. Taking a handful of powder out of the flowerpot to her left and throwing it into the fire, she said loudly, "Ministry of Magic, Department of Magical Games and Sports, British and Irish Quidditch League Headquarters!" The tiny body stopped screaming as the green fire swirled round and round until a square-faced witch's head appeared among them.  
  
"Hello, Miranda. Is Ron around?"  
  
"Sure is, dear, he's right here." The head disappeared, and in a few seconds was replaced by the head of a freckly, long-nosed, redheaded man. "What is it, Hermione?" he asked, "It Paige alright?"  
  
"Yes, she's fine, but. Ron, just a few minutes ago she said her first word!" Ron's eyes lit up. "Wow! What did she say?" he asked excitedly.  
  
"She said 'Daddy'!" Hermione told him, and she lifted her daughter off of her shoulder and turned her to face him. "Look, Paige, it's Daddy! Say 'Hello Daddy'!" Paige clapped her hands, pointed at her father's face in the fire, looked back at her mother's face in amazement, and pointed at the fire again. "Come on darling, say 'Daddy'! 'Daddy'." Once again, Paige would just not do what her mother wanted her to do. Ron shook his head and chuckled. "Oh well, we'll have to try again this evening, Mione, I have loads of work to do here. Kiss?" Hermione leaned into the warm flames and gave her husband a quick peck. "Bye," she said, sounding slightly disappointed. "Bye," he replied, and he faced his daughter. "Love you!" And his head disappeared from the flames. Paige brought her hands to her cheeks in surprise.  
  
"Oh Paige," Hermione sighed, and she lifted the girl off her knee to stand up. Holding her daughter with a hand under the tiny bottom, she walked back into the kitchen and put the girl in pink-footed pajamas back into the highchair. She took the silver spoon from the jar of a mushy, tan-colored substance, and held it out in front of her. "Here, Paige! Here comes the Firebolt!" Paige patted the surface with her little fists. "Dah-deee!!"  
  
It was going to be a long day.  
  
*  
  
It was a late, dark evening before Ron arrived home to his wife and child. He ate some of the cold pasta still in the center of the kitchen table, too tired to heat it up, and trudged up the stairs to a hopefully warm, welcoming bed.  
  
He opened the door to a crack to make sure he didn't wake her, but then found that Hermione was in her characteristic position of a book in her hands and her nose buried in it. "Hey."  
  
Reaching for a bookmark on the night table without looking up, she replied, "Hello." She closed the book and Ron gave her a kiss, and then walked back around the bed and into the bathroom, leaving the door open halfway. "Did you get Paige to sleep?" came his muffled voice.  
  
"Yes, just about thirty minutes ago." After a few moments Ron returned, shirtless with a pair of gray sweatpants. He lifted the ivory duvet and lade down under the sheets, then let out a long, remarkable yawn.  
  
"Ron?"  
  
"Yes, lovey."  
  
"We don't do anything."  
  
"Being a bit blunt, aren't you?"  
  
"What I mean is. we always used to do things."  
  
"Whaddya mean?" Ron asked, closing his eyes and folding his arms beneath his head.  
  
"We don't go out for dinner, we don't take walks, and we don't have people over. we never get to spend time with each other"  
  
"Hermione, we're here together right now, aren't we?" Hermione muttered something that sounded suspiciously like 'tactless', and she turned out the light and rolled over. "Hey, what did I say?" He turned his light on. "You have to talk to me, Mione."  
  
At that Hermione violently threw off the covers, sat up and on her feet and looked seriously into the wondering, blue eyes. "Ron, I am trying to tell you. We don't - do - anything - anymore! You're always working, and I'm here with the daughter you don't spend time with -"  
  
"You've said it, Hermione. We can't go partying every weekend anymore. We have a child to provide for and take care of."  
  
"We can get a 'sitter."  
  
"A 'sitter'?"  
  
"A babysitter. To watch Paige while we go out and have a night to ourselves."  
  
"Leave. leave her with someone else? Hermione, do you think that - wise? She's, she's just so small -"  
  
"Oh be serious, Ron. She would be in safe hands! I wouldn't leave her with a Death Eater, either! We could just ask Lupin, he loves children, or Harry and Ginny, or -"  
  
"Alright, alright, I see your point. I'll think about all of this. But I think for now," he turned out the light, "we need to get some sleep." He curled up under the covers. With a sigh Hermione followed suit. Then Ron lifted an arm and put it around her, and she gave in and snuggled up against his chest. The peaceful silence between the two lasted for several minutes - when they were drifting into the realm of sleep - until a cry from down the hall sounded throughout the upstairs. Ron sat up, "I'll go."  
  
Flashback  
  
A couple sat at a small, round table, in a night of deepest blue. The stars gleamed with silver, effervescent light. The faces of the lovers took on the appearance of being the color blue in the moon's rays of light, which was interrupted by buildings surrounding the one outside which they were located. The woman said something, her lips quivering with anticipation. Silence from both pursued, and the man's mouth could have done with a closing hand. Then he finally smiled. He held out two blue hands, caressed her cheeks momentarily with them, then gave in to his yearning and brought her face extremely close to his. So close, in fact, one would say their lips were touching. And so they were. The kiss told all to any bystander; the couple was deeply in love.  
  
"There was a time I used to pray I have always kept my faith in love It's the greatest thing from the man above  
  
The game I used to play I've always put my cards upon the table Let it never be said that I'd be unstable"  
  
End of Flashback  
  
Such strong relief was a sleeping child. The mother sat down on the couch and closed her eyes. "That girl is her father's daughter," she said aloud to herself, and she chuckled at her husband's own stubbornness. And then came an unexpected crack.  
  
Hermione sat up quickly to see who would possibly be arriving in her home on this early, Friday evening. "Ron! What are you doing home so early? Is everything alright?"  
  
"Everything's fine, Mione. Honestly, your first reaction to change is something terrible's happened. Anyway," he said smiling, proud of himself perhaps, "I've made reservations for dinner in London. There's a new restaurant at Diagon Alley, so if you go and change into something nice, we can be on our way."  
  
Hermione was almost speechless. "Ou - out? But - but what about Paige?"  
  
"I've contacted Charlie; him and Tonks are in London this week. She was delighted to help out and watch our 'darling girl'. They said they'd come by 'round five. That gives us about." he looked around at the clock, "thirty minutes. Now go up and get changed!"  
  
"Right; change," Hermione said, and she practically flew up the stairs.  
  
She returned in navy blue dress robes and her hair in an untidy knot angled on top of her head. "Beautiful," Ron said meaningfully, though his ears characteristically turned red. He held out his hand and she took his arm. They walked to the front hallway to wait for Charlie and Tonks' arrival. Sure enough, in a matter of minutes, there came two loud cracks. 'Hello's and hugs were exchanged, and Tonks tripped on a baby toy. ("It was in the middle of the floor!") Hermione made sure all vital information was passed on, and her and Ron apparated to Diagon Alley.  
  
"There is a game I like to play I like to hit the town on Friday night And stay in bed until Sunday"  
  
They arrived at "The Snitch", essentially a wizard's version of a sports bar, though a lot nicer than the Muggle kind. Immediately Hermione spotted Harry and Ginny sitting at a table set for four. "Harry! Ginny! Ron didn't mention you were coming!" They stood up and received literal breath- taking hugs from Hermione. When she was finished, they all sat down. Moments later, a waitress took their orders for drinks, and when she left Hermione decided to start a conversation. "So, what's been going on with you two?" Harry and Ginny exchanged glances. "Well," Harry started, "we have some, er. news."  
  
"News?" Ron repeated, "What sort of news?"  
  
"Well, erm. Ginny and I. we're going to. have a baby." Ginny blushed. "I'm about 2 ½ months." Ron's jaw dropped, and Hermione gasped. "Oh Ginny that's wonderful! Ron, isn't this wonderful? Ron?"  
  
Ron was still frozen with shock and amazement. "My. own sister." Ginny rolled her eyes, sat up and reached across the table to smack her brother's cheek, all in one fluid motion. "As if you were the only one going to have kids. Git." She shook her head but started laughing, "Actually, I was probably as shocked as you were when I found out. It wasn't exactly. planned." Ginny's whole head looked like it was on fire. Ron laughed uneasily, but held out a hand to his best friend nonetheless. "Er, congratulations, mate," he said as Harry shook the outstretched hand. Harry nodded, "Thanks."  
  
The two excited couples discussed baby names and clothes and Quidditch and Hogwarts and many other things while they ate their meals. Afterwards they went to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, and then walked the streets while licking their ice creams. When they finished, Harry and Ginny said goodbye and went home. Deciding they too were exhausted from the evening's happenings, Ron and Hermione apparated home.  
  
"It was not my imagination Not my imagination Not my imagination It was."  
  
They walked into a silent household. As they traveled into the living room they found Tonks asleep on the couch. Then a voice came from behind them, "She hasn't been that worn out since she watched Bill's girl, Eloise. Lord, that girl's got that hint of veela and puts it to good use." He paused, and as Hermione opened her mouth to ask about her daughter, he said, "Paige was fine; Tonks just isn't used to it. She's upstairs, sleeping like a dragon." Hermione looked horrified. Charlie chuckled, "That's a good thing, a sleeping dragon. Meaning it's not awake.?" Hermione released the hot, pent-up air of her lungs in relief. Charlie walked over to the couch and lifted Tonks into his arms. "Have a nice night." And he disapparated.  
  
The remaining couple quietly went up to their bedroom. They climbed into bed and turned out the lights. "'Night," Ron whispered. He looked her in the eyes. They held a long gaze before Ron began to lean closer. Hermione closed her eyes and felt intense heat. She pulled open her eyes. Ron had burst into flames.  
  
Hermione woke up, sweating and gasping for air.  
  
She looked to her left. The bed was still made. She began to sob. Then a voice came from down the hall.  
  
"Mummy! Mummy!"  
  
Hermione peeled the ivory duvet off of her wet body and walked swiftly to the bedroom from whence the voice came. "What is it, dear?" she asked as she sat down on the bed. "Mummy, I had a bad dream. It was very bad and it scared me!"  
  
"Oh sweetheart," said the mother, and she pulled her daughter into a comforting hug as tears rolled down her own cheeks. "Shh. you don't want to wake your brother. It's alright, Paige. shh."  
  
Hermione recalled the dream. He had been so real; she had felt his presence. But he was never coming back.  
  
It was, after all, just her imagination. 


End file.
